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Bound for Honolulu

We are now midway through five whole days at sea before we
arrive in Honolulu. Onemorning I attended a session on skincare and we both watched
our Executive Chef (who happens to be Australian) cook the perfect steak and
present it with accompaniments. We saw a demonstration on how to prepare sushi
and listened to Tazy, a pro-surfer, as he talked about his life as a surfer and
presented a slide show onthe famousMaverick waves off the California coast, some of the biggest
in the world. We certainly have a variety of entertainment options.

But it was oneparticulareveningshow that really impressed. David Meyer from the US plays an
unusual musical instrument called a Zylosynth; a cross between a zylophone and
a synthesizer. This means he can play any type of music and mimic manydifferent instruments. We’venowheardhimtwice, playingmusic
that ranged from classical (The Flight of the Bumblebee, TheNutcrackerSuite, etc.) to popular (Phantom
of the Opera, Riverdance,
etc.). Hewasalsojoinedonstagebyhis
beautiful wife, a
professional dancer. Meyer’s energy is unbelievable and the special effect
lighting only added to an already amazing show.

Werosebeforedawnon
25 Apriltoattendtheship’s
ANZAC Day service. ThiswashostedbyourAustralianCruiseDirectorBenandwasa moving tributetopast and currentsoldiers. Onepassengergaveaspeechandtworeadpoems; onefromaschoolchildin Queensland. And the ship’s trumpeter played The
Last Post whilst the Australian and New Zealand flags flapped wildly in what
was an early morning gale that only added to the eeriness of the occasion. Hundreds
of Australian passengers attended the commemoration.On our final couple of days at sea we had the third of our 'formal nights' on board when the passengers dress up to the nines. Many of the women wear full length gowns and the men tuxedos. But most of the Australians on board settled for understated elegance for the ladies and suits or jackets for the men. Either way, its a great excuse to get dressed up.And on thus final formal night the hundreds of chefs, kitchen hands and waiters are introduced to the passengers via a very vibrant celebration comprising the waving of napkins and a parade through the restaurant.

Chelsea, the young Marine Biologist on board had already entertained and educated us on volcanoes, whales and other sea life. On the final day she held a Q&A session where passengers could ask her anything pertaining to the sea. It was a fascinating session and of course the issue of Japanese whaling was raised, along with the pros and cons of holding sea life in aquariums and theme parks. Chelsea's blog is at: http://chelseasencounters.blogspot.com and is well worth a look.

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